Shoe.



MTJEEEE J gem P. C. NIEMANN.

SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. s, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented 111211128, 1911.

P. C. NIEMANN.

v SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED DBG. 3, 1909.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

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rerun c. NIEMANN, ornnwroiv, MASSACHUSETTS.

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My invention relates to that class ofshoes l in which support is provided to the arch of the foot as a prevention of' or remedy for lat-foot, so called. Many remedies for this trouble have been suggested, but they have resulted either in a shoe which has praot cally lost all elasticity at the `arch because of the use of a metal shank or infa plate of considerable weight Which Whileitmay have affordedtemporaiy relief has proved cumbersome and has been very uncomfortable in the shoe and has also deprived the foot of the fieXibil-ity whichY it should have to enable it to be used comfortably and With freedomA in Walking.'

Mlylivention consists therefore in a shoe having a support which extends forward from the heel but a short distance under the instep and upon one side only thereof and does not necessarily extend'the Width of the sole. Such a device While it serves to support that'part of the foot, viz.: astragalus and scaphoid bones Which bear the iininedi# ate Weight of the ,leg and hence of the person, in no Wise limits foot. O n the contrary 'it leaves all the joints as free to bend as if there were no unusualelenient in the construction of the shoe.

My invention will be understood by reference tothe drawings in which`A Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in seetin of ashoe embodying my invention. ign 2 is a section of the lowerpart of the shoe taken' on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.l Fig. 3. is a plan of the inner sole and plate, and Fig. 4 of the pla-te.` Fig. 5 sole piece, Figs. 6 and 7 being sections on lines 6-6 and 7-7.of Fig. 5.

The-exterior of the shoe is of ordinaryl form. In constructing it, the innersole A is of ordinary shape and proportions except that from a point 1 at the rear to a point 2 somewhat forward of the heel it is provided with an extension a which is carried up on the inner side of the last as shown by the line a1 in Fig. l.

B is the metallic member or support the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 3,v

the yshoe will be the flexibility of theis a' plan ofthe extra 1.9()9. Serial No. 531,150.

shape of which in cross' section is shown in Fig. 2, its side outline being indicated by the .dotted lines b in Fig. l. It extends from a point near the rear of t-he shoe to a point somewhat forward of the heel sufficiently far only to reach under the astragalus bone and so support the-forward bone of the, leg, but y no rneans extending under the 'instep or arch to stilfen it. From Fig. 2 it'vvill be seen that thevlat or sole portion of this support extends but a short distance horizontaily from the edge of the shoe-suliiciently far "('i'ily to enable it to be fastened in place and give the necessary firmness or rigidity of support. Wherethe inner sole is of stift leather th'e use of the metal plate B is un- Patentea Mar. 2a, aaai.`

necessary, but it is useful in light shoes Where the inner sole is made of light leather as is usually the case. The iie'xt layer normally Will be an extra sole piece C which will cover the exposed portion of the plate and Will be sulicient in shape and thickness for the purpose. Upon the structure so built up constructed so that when complete i-t will appear upon the outside like a. shoe of ordinary construction. Upon the inside it will appear as shown in Fig. 2. It will fit into the natural cavity of the foot compressing the lcsliv but in no wise cramping it or preventing the exercise of its natural flexibility in walking. It has been found also that this construction Will prevent the foot froni turning inward and so Wear down the inner portion ofthe heel.

' As in shoe-making the last is supposed to .be shaped to the foot, so in this case the last must be shaped at the proper place acoording to the thickness of the extra layers to be used. In other Words, it mustloe sliaved oli' slightly say from to ofan inch to accommodate the addition to its layers necessary to give'the required stiffness to support the bones referred to, and the number and character of these layers Will depend upon theV kind and thickness of the material used, the point to be well asthickness.

,'Thus it will be seen that iny invention consists ina shoe having in its interior a reinforce or support extending along its inner edge from a. point at the rear to a point a short distance in front of the heel.

If a metal support is' used I prefer to make -it of copper, but-.other metal may answer as Well and it may in factbe somewhat securedV being strength as iioI wider than shown, butlits lengthy should such 'as to g've the necessary support without stiiening the arch.

` What I claim as my invention isl i 1.v A shoe having a flexible shank and aA stiff -reinforce extending forwardly vfrom vapproximatelythe rear of the shoe and stopvwill be left flexible fao be bent by the wearer and auth-esame time said bone 'will be supported by .said rein forc'e;l y

2. A shoe having a exible shank and a stiff reinforce extending along one 'side of its v sole from a point approximately at thev rear 1'5 othe heel to a point just in front of the heel and upward a short distance on the inside of the sole whereby it will support the arch of the Wearers foot without interfering with the flexibility ofthe foot in walking.

, PETER C. NIEMANN. vVit-nesses: v

JENNIE' M. BURNHAM, ALFRED L. BARBOUR. 

